materials: target sentence and return comment, or
question & answer pattern
time: 5-10 minutes (with writing, 10-20 min.)
group size: pairs-row rotations, or free moving
Ready-
-WRITE A SENTENCE-AND-COMMENT* or QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PATTERN ON THE BLACKBOARD. UNDERLINE or WRITE IN A DIFFERENT COLOR the part that the students will change.
-* teachers here choose what language the students respond with. for example, W)‘I play tennis.’ --> L)‘I don’t play tennis.’ or L)‘I play tennis, too.’
-writing/testing option--students write the sentence-and-comment or question-and-answer patterns in their notebooks (or elsewhere) for checking before the next speaking activity. You could first write the patterns in Japanese on the blackboard.
-Students think of an original sentence or question based on the given pattern.
Play-
-With all students standing, PAIRS PLAY JANKEN, and winner says/reads his/her sentence or question. Janken loser responds or answers, using the teacher-chosen language (above *).
-GOAL of the pair activity is to find 3 students with a Yes or No answer (teacher chooses before starting); +,too. or +don’t response; or for Wh- questions, an answer pre-chosen by each student.
-When a student has found 3 of the target answers/responses, he or she returns to their desk and sits down.
Hints/Options-
- Communicative ability testing option--When a student has found his/her 3 people, he or she must come to the teacher and perform the dialog before sitting down.
- Pattern accuracy testing option--Students answering the target responses form a group. When a group of 3 has been formed, they come to the teacher. The teacher can choose a variety of options here. For example, when studying subject pronouns, each of the students can say, ‘I play soccer. He plays soccer. She plays soccer. We play soccer. They play soccer.’
- If points are awarded, students get one point for each janken win.
- For classes that don’t interact well in a free-moving activity like this, have the students Janken Conversation Round style-- seat pairs playing janken, and one side rotating back one seat after their conversation is finished.
